Pirate Princess, Demon Prince
by piratewitch92
Summary: Fed up with his son's actions, Mephistopheles places Blackheart in the care of an pirate royal. Little does Blackheart know, this royal is more than she seems.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

"You've really done it this time, Blackheart." The bound youth smirked up at his elder, eyes glinting with impudence. He received a dark glare for it. "You've committed some stupid acts in your time, but this? This has to be your crowning achievement to date." Blackheart chuckled darkly.

"It brings me one step closer to me goal." He certainly felt no remorse for what he had done. It wasn't like his father could do much to him. The demon lord smiled, sending an unseen ripple of unease through him.

"Or send you back to square one." Blackheart's arrogant smirk faded as confusion played across his handsome features. His elder chuckled darkly. "I'm placing you under the care of a….. Keeper." The demon prince scoffed.

"A babysitter?"

"Of sorts." The elder's cane tapped the floor rhythmically as he approached the floating orb illuminating the otherwise dim room. "You should feel comfortable with this keeper though. A band of renegade pirates, you should feel right at home." Blackheart scoffed.

"Pirates?" Had his father finally lost his senile mind? How were pirates supposed to make him any better?

"Their princess actually." A smirk crept back onto the young prince's face. That changed everything. A princess he could easily-and happily-handle. He happened to be a self-proclaimed expert in women. "I've happened to have had dealings in the past with her. This will be as simple as calling in a favor."

That surprised the younger monarch. Pirates were by nature a superstitious group. Most wouldn't willingly make a deal with the devil. No matter how much they've sinned. "She also happens to be an old friend of yours." Blackheart opened his mouth to ask what his father meant by that. Before he could, his father tapped his skull-capped cane, causing black smoke to swirl around the prince completely clouding his vision.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1: An Undesired Mission

The brunette girl sighed as the _Black Pearl_ pulled into the familiar docks of Tortuga. She never really enjoyed visiting the pirate capital of the world, but it was the only port that her father would definitely NOT be arrested in. The _Pearl _was in desperate need of supplies and Tortuga was a good place to do so. As well as a fantastic place to pick up rumors of rare and amazing treasures. Plus, many of the crew really needed a bath.

Speaking of which, a strong stench of rum broke her train of thought. And heralded the arrival of her father. "Perhaps there'll be talk of a way to end your bond, Hope." Hope chuckled.

"I've told you before, Father. I'm not going to try and weasel with my way out of this. I have no regrets." She fixed her father's tricorne hat. "Besides, where would the _Pearl_ and her crew be without their fearless Captain Jack Sparrow?" Jack smirked proudly.

"I certainly appreciate the prolonging of my life, Little Sparrow. However, the cost is…" He made a strange only-Hope-could-understand face. "Less then desirable." Hope smiled. "I just don't like it. Not for the future captain of my precious _Pearl_."

"I know you don't, Father. At the time, it was the best idea." Jack nodded.

"I know, my dear." Jack looked up, obviously uncomfortable with the current topic. "Oh look! We've docked!" Hope looked up as her father began to bark a mixture of orders and insults at the crew. She smiled a bit, playing with the claddagh charm she wore around her neck.

"Father, I think I'm going to explore a bit."

Luckily, Hope knew the streets and back alleys of Tortuga like she knew every detail of the _Pearl_. She had grown up on these streets. Any surprises were likely to meet either her sword or the dagger hidden in her boot. She always made sure to carry a secret arsenal of back up weapons. As if her heightened senses weren't enough of a defense.

Which were tipping off her danger radar right now. Someone was following her. Someone with… three legs? Or a cane. Everything in her tensed. She took a detour down a rarely used alley, reaching for the dagger hidden in her belt. Only one person was stupid enough to try and follow her without announcing themselves. Coming to a dead end, she stopped.

"I know you're following me. Either show yourself or leave me be." A cold wind was her first warning, sending a chill down her spine. Next was the sudden extinguishing of any and every nearby candle. She didn't turn at the male chuckle. "Mephistopheles…."

"Hello, Hope." She gripped her dagger tightly. She never did like the feel of Mephisto's eyes on her. "My, my. You've certainly grown since your stay." Hope still didn't turn. She relied on the method of waiting until the last possible second.

"That happens over five years, _Milord._" She put as much venom as possible into the title. She quickly turned, a small spark flying as her dagger met the demon king's skull-topped cane. "Now what do you want?"

"Now, Hope, is that any way to treat the man who gave you a home for ten years?" Hope made a rude noise.

"Ten years in Hell is only two years on Earth. Either way, you took me from my family and crew." The Lord of Hell chuckled, lowering his cane. Hope's dagger remained pointed at him though.

"Aye that is very true. However, you did make a deal." Hope frowned deeply at the remainder. "Which brings us to why I've sought you out."

"Whatever it is, I'm not interested." She didn't anymore to do with Mephisto and his kingdom.

"You have no choice. You're under contract." She glared but slowly lowered her dagger. "I need you to watch over one of my sons." Hope opened her mouth to object but the demon king stopped her. "You will not find out which son until he arrives nor will you object to this." She frowned deeply. "In exchange, I'll stop sending 'suitors' to your room." Hope instantly seemed more interested about that. "Do we have a deal?" Hope was silent for a long while as she contemplated the offer.

"When does he arrive?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2: An Unexpected Reunion

Blackheart was seething. He had been well aware that his deranged father planned to pass him off to an anonymous band of pirates. However, he did not expect to be dumped in the middle of their capital with no bloody clue where he was going. He awoke in the middle of Tortuga's main square with nothing but a sack of cloths, his sword, and a picture of a tattoo as his only clue. He looked at the folded-up cloth, very much confused by his clue. It depicted a sparrow flying towards a sunset on the seas. Not much to go on really.

After almost four grueling hours of interrogating a colorful array of drunk or deranged pirates, the demon prince had come to several conclusions. One, the owner of the tattoo was a notorious pirate captain by the name of Jack Sparrow. Two, this pirate was captain of the infamous _Black Pearl. _Three, he had to be either extremely clever or unbelievably stupid to have so many enemies.

Blackheart's questioning also found him a surprising fact about the pirate princess. Upon showing a particularly rum-soaked sailor the tattoo, the man hiccupped and exclaimed, "Oh! Ye be looking fer the pirate princess's father!" This stunned the demon prince.

"So this man, he's her father?" The sailor nodded and took a swig of rum.

"Aye, that be Sparra' alright. Pretty little thing, too, 'is daughter. A real pearl to behold."

"Do you know where I can find him?" The sailor pointed towards the dock.

"Just pulled in this mornin', they did. Sparra 'ill most likely be in the local pub, the uh…. Avarice Pub, metinks. As fer Hope," the sailor chuckled. "She be roaming the streets till time to set sail." A confused look crossed Blackheart's features at the familiarity of the pirate princess's name.

"Well, thanks for the information."

"I warn ye, lad," The sailor called as the young prince turned to leave. "If ye be seeking to court the fair princess, ye better be prepared to face her father. He be very protective of 'is little girl." Blackheart just continued on his way as the drunk laughed.

_The princess is just a means to an end, _the prince told himself. Although… the drunk implied the pirate princess had the same name as a girl he knew a few years ago. Was it possible they were the same person? _Absolutely not, _he told himself. _Father isn't stupid enough to leave you in the hands of a sixteen-year-old. _However the thought refused to dislodge itself from his mind.

The Hope he knew had been a young girl who lived with his family in Hell for two mortal years. He remembered she had a knack for swordsplay and a joy for learning. An unusual trait for a girl her age. She was also surprisingly fearless. Except…

_The girl's deep brown eyes were frozen wide in terror. She couldn't even manage a scream as she stared at the monster her most trusted mentor had transformed into… _Blackheart shook his head to banish the memory. He had a job to do. He continued on his set path, erasing all thoughts of Hope and the pirate princess.

Eventually, he finally came to the Avarice Pub. His nose crinkled at the scents coming from the pub. Fear, greed, rum, and B.O. assaulted his senses. Still, the demon prince trudged in.

Oddly enough, he didn't have much trouble finding Sparrow. The captain was apparently recruiting new crew members. Blackheart smirked. This would make things a whole lot easier. Enlist in the _Black Pearl's _crew and he might even evade his keeper in plain sight. The line was short so he quickly slipped himself in.

Blackheart's impatient nature made him peek down the line. He actually knew a bit about the pirates of the day despite sleeping through most of history class. He had not yet seen Captain Sparrow but his built-in lie detector would instantly know whether or not it was a fake. A man of Sparrow's reputation plus Blackheart's luck made the chances of this being the right captain slim.

However, it turned out he did manage to find the real Jack Sparrow on the first try. The strong scent of rum assaulted his nose as he finally approached the recruiting table. The real Captain Sparrow was indeed there, although he was not running the table. He lounged against a nearby post while an older sailor who had a navy air to him. The demon prince's eyes displayed confusion as the pirate captain shook what appeared to be a broken compass. _Humans are so strange. _

"And what's your story, Lad?" Blackheart looked at the navyman, a little surprised.

"What?"

"What drives you to crew the _Black Pearl_?" Damn, he hadn't thought of a backstory yet.

"No where to go really. And I heard you could help me find the pirate princess?" That caught Sparrow's attention. He and the navyman exchanged nervous glance as Sparrow stood.

"And what business do you have twixt yourself and the princess, eh?" Blackheart frowned.

"That is a 'twixt' the princess and I." Jack didn't look convinced.

"Then I'm afraid you cannot join our crew"

"I'm an old friend."

"Oh really? Then what's your name, son?"

"Black. Daemon Black." The young monarch tried to keep a straight face as the captain scrutinized him. He was very tempted to shove the rum-soaked, space-invader into the recruiting table.

"Daemon Black? Never heard of you, mate. And I'm not inclined to allow strange youths seeking the fair princess onto my ship." Blackheart was getting very annoyed, which was never a good thing.

"Look, I can think of much better thing to do than crew your little boat-"

"Ship!"

"Whatever. However, I don't have much choice on the subject and I'm not above stowing myself away just to get this inane task over with." Sparrow gave him a strange look. Blackheart couldn't decide if Sparrow was weighing the truth of his words or if he was just drunkenly staring. Finally, he smiled.

"Welcome to me crew, lad. We sail noon tomorrow." The dark prince gave a relieved sigh as he signed the roster. "If you really are a friend of Hope's, she should be more than happy to see you."

"Father."

"Oh! Here she is now!" Blackheart looked up and, for once in his life, was stunned.

The young woman seem to be in her late teens or early twenties. She had an hourglass figure which was emphasized by the thick belt that hugged her waist. Dark hair tumbled freely around her shoulders and down her back. For a girl who spent most of her life at sea, her hair was very well kept. Deep chocolate eyes met the demon's ice blue eyes in equal surprise, confirming his suspicions. "Hope…"

"You…" The note of disdain in her voice caught him off guard. He was her mentor, one he thought she adored. This, however, was one very upset pirate princess. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Father's sick idea of a punishment." Hope's frown grew one more notch. "I don't really have much say in the matter." She scoffed.

"Yeah. Neither do I." She turned and walked away, leaving one very confused Blackheart and Jack.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3: Unwelcomed Emotions

Hope slammed the door to her cabin shut. The _Pearl_ was deserted as the crew was taking full advantage of being in Tortuga, leaving Hope alone. Which was a good thing as the pirate princess was in a terrible rage.

"Of all the demons in the Underworld, why him?" The vanity fell victim to her temper as she kicked it over. Splinters of mirror littered the floor but it didn't matter. What was seven years bad luck compared to the devil owning your soul?

She sat on her bed, head in hands. "Why him? Why Blackheart?" Tears streamed unbidden down her face. She felt like a boiling cauldron of emotion and she despised it. She hated that the infernal prince still had such power over her. That he could elicit such feelings from her.

Hope thought she had long buried her feelings for Blackheart. She had at one point been in love with the dark prince but now… She knew better. Blackheart could never return her feelings and she accepted that. Why in the world would he still be able to make her act like this?

She sighed, looking into the shattered mirror on her cabin floor. "Might as well clean this up…" She knelt down, gathering her thoughts and the glass shards. "OW!" She dropped a mirror shard, sucking on the new cut on her palm. She pulled a black, silk handkerchief out of her pocket, wrapping her hand unknowingly into a memory…

_Fifteen-year-old Hope sucked on her injured hand, annoyed. She knew how to handle a sword but Blackheart's were heavier than she was used to. "You have to be more careful, Hope," Blackheart warned as he gently took her injured hand. "You can easily lose a limb that way." She tried very hard not to blush as her teacher surveyed her wound._

"_These swords are a lot heavier than what I've handled," She explained, trying to pull her hand back. His startling blue eyes flashed at her in concern and reprimand. She flinched a bit. "I didn't expect it."_

"_These swords are older than what you use in your time. Still, you need to be able to quickly assess and adjust to whatever weapon is available," he calmly explained as he wrapped the black silk he kept in his pocket around her injury, tying it tight. "Too tight?" She shook her head, flexing her hand. It hurt but she was used to pushing that aside. "Think you can still fight?" She nodded. No way she was going to cut precious time with Blackheart._

"_Let's do this." The demon chuckled at her enthusiasm. Hope found herself blushing uncontrollably as he pulled off his shirt. "W-wouldn't that make y-you more vulnerable?" He chuckled again._

"_I'm going to make the blades more blunt so in this case no. Plus, this will give you a chance to practice fighting with a distraction." She gulped. Was she really that obvious? She felt her cheeks grow even hotter as she stared at the monarch's well-muscled chest. He wasn't a hulking brute, but there was an obvious definition of muscles. He smirked. "Unless it makes you uncomfortable…"_

"_No!" She squeaked, growing redder. "No, it's fine." _

Hope shook her head to clear the memory. That was years ago. She had been a lovesick child. She was an adult now and knew better than to trust Blackheart with her heart. She almost made that mistake once before, and she wasn't making it again.

"He's just a job. Nothing more." She told herself as she stood. She set the broken vanity upright, looking at her reflection in the cracked mirror. "I'm not the same girl. He can't trick me…" It was true. She wasn't the same. She wasn't the pure, innocent girl he trained. Now… She shook her head. She tried very hard not to dwell on what she was.

A knock on the door broke her train of thought. "Hope? Are you decent?" Hope released a sigh of relief at the sound of her father's voice.

"Yes. Come in." Jack peeked his head in before fully entering the room. He seemed shocked by the current state of the mirror.

"What happened?"

"Fight with my reflection. What do you need, Father?"

"I'm afraid… I must ask you to share your cabin." He seemed nervous making the request but it didn't bother her.

"With who?"

"I was thinking Daemon Black." Hope frowned. This day was just getting better and better.

"You're certain there's no more room elsewhere?" Jack shook his head.

"I've looked everywhere." Hope sighed. This was the last thing she wanted…

"He can room here…" Jack gave her knee an appreciative pat.

"I'll try to make more room as soon as possible, lil' Sparrow." She smiled at her father's endearment.

"I understand, Father." He kissed her forehead before leaving. Hope flopped back on her bed, less than happy. She rubbed her suddenly aching temples, trying to stave off the headache building in her head.

"What happened to your hand, Hope?" She frowned at the familiar voice.

"None of your business, _your highness._" The dark chuckle that followed sent shivers down her spine. And she hated it.

"Don't act tough, Hope. It's not you." She sat up, frowning.

"And you know so much about me?" She couldn't help the slight anger in her voice. He seemed genuinely surprised by this.

"Enough to know when you're needing help." He dropped his sack and sword on the loveseat Jack had insisted Hope have in her cabin. "Let me see your hand." She shook her head.

"It's fine." He didn't look convinced as he shrugged off his long duster.

"I'll say it one more time. Let me see your hand." She didn't move. He didn't seem surprised and knelt in front of her, taking her reluctant hand. She flinched at his touch. His hands were still like ice. As if reading her mind, he commented, "Sorry, no body heat." Hope just nodded as the demon prince began to untie the improvised bandage.

"Well, this certainly looks familiar," he remarked, flashing a smirk at her. She was shocked and annoyed by the color sweeping up her neck. He chuckled as he unwrapped her wound. His dark brows came together as he studied the cut. "What happened?" She frowned a bit.

"Fight with the mirror." She nodded towards the broken vanity. A frown crossed his face as he looked at the broken glass.

"I'm familiar with such fights…" He started rewrapping her wound. "But I wouldn't expect someone so beautiful to have such arguments." She closed her eyes in an attempt to hide her embarrassed pride at the comment, but her cheeks gave her away.

"It's not like that… and I'm not that beautiful." When she opened her eyes, she was very shocked to find the demon prince nose to nose with her. "W-what are you doing?" She yelped. He smirked.

"Don't sell yourself short, Hope." She has to lean back as Blackheart inched closer to her. "You've certainly grown…" An arm snaked around her waist. "Since we last met…" His cold lips ghosted against hers, making her shiver. She was just too shocked to do anything to stop him.

When his lips pressed against hers, she felt lost. His kiss was loving, tender. She had never been kissed like this before. Her first kiss has been a quick kiss where as this one lingered. Her hands slid up his chest, but despite her better judgment she couldn't push him away from her. She was ashamed to admit she was enjoying it. "Blackheart…" He chuckled darkly.

Then she felt his hand trying to unbuckle her belt, and her mind hit the panic button. She pushed hard against his chest, effectively sending him across the room. That was more than she meant to do but it made her point. Not that she was rational enough to care at the moment. "Don't touch me!" Blackheart watched shocked as she conjured doors between them, slamming them shut.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4: Uncovered Memories

It was quite some time before Blackheart could pull himself to his feet. He didn't expect Hope to be completely welcoming of him but this? This wasn't the same girl he had known. The smell of her fear permeated from even behind the doors she had created. It was making him sick. He had never sensed so much fear from her. Then again it had been years…

_Blackheart shook his head as the young girl cut her hand open with a practice sword. "You have to be more careful, Hope." He took her hand, studying the angry wound. He didn't fail to notice the faint blush creeping onto Hope's cheeks. "You could easily lose a limb that way."_

"_These swords are heavier than what I'm used to." She tried to pull her hand back, nervous. He looked up, a look of reprimand in his eyes. He felt her flinch. "I wasn't expecting it…" He frowned. The swords used on Earth were now just flimsy bits of metal._

"_These swords are older than what's used in your time. Still, you need to be able to quickly assess and adapt to whatever weapons are available." He carefully wrapped her hand in a black kerchief, tying it tight. He noticed her wince. "Too tight?" She shook her head. He was tempted to end the session since it was her strong hand that was hurt. But he decided to let her choose. "Think you can still fight?" She nodded, looking surprisingly eager._

"_Let's do this." He chuckled. He was well aware of Hope's feelings for him. However, she was only fifteen. And she was probably the purest soul in his father's possession. The girl can do so much better than him._

_He started feeling warm so he pulled his shirt off, mostly to cool off but partly to see Hope's face turn that shade of pink that made him want to horde her away from the world. It was – for lack of a better word – too cute. Sure enough, that faint pink color was creeping into her cheeks. "W-wouldn't that make you more vulnerable?" He chuckled again._

"_I'm going to blunt the blades so in this case, no." He smirked. "Plus it will give you a chance to practice with a distraction." She gulped. Blackheart smirked at the thought that she had probably never seen this much of a man before. It simply wasn't done on earth. He stretched, purposefully giving Hope a good view of his chest. Her face turned a very deep pink. "Unless it makes you uncomfortable…"_

"_No!" She squeaked. He smirked. Her face was a pale red now. "No, it's fine."_

Blackheart found himself chuckling at the memory. Hope had been so shy and innocent then. She could rarely speak without stuttering. The kind of girl who made every demon in hell wonder why she made a deal with their king. That was Hope in a nutshell.

But this Hope? This was in no way the same girl. This Hope had anger in her. It concerned him. He had always had a protective streak for Hope. She never harbored anger towards anyone. No matter how much they deserved it…

_Blackheart let out a pained grunt as about 130 lbs of sixteen-year-old drove him to the floor. He felt the cold steel of Hope's blade against his neck. However, he smiled at his panting pupil. She had succeeded in completely disarming him. "Good job, Hope." She looked a little surprised._

"_Wait… I won?" He nodded, noticing the teenager was straddling his hips. He certainly didn't mind the position at all. However, he was certain Hope would be very uncomfortable with it. And then there was the-_

"_What's going on here?" A female voice shrieked. Hope jumped as the demon prince released another groan, this time annoyed. The young girl then chose that moment to notice exactly what the demoness was screeching about. Her face automatically went bright red._

"_Oh God!" She quickly moved off him, her face still red with embarrassment. "I'm so sorry! I didn't realize!" The demoness scoffed. _

"_Still trying to get in my fiancé's pants, you little brat?" she hissed._

"_Analia!" Blackheart flashed Analia a glare, effectively silencing her. Hope, however, was quickly gathering her things and leaving, but not before the demon noticed tears in her eyes. He frowned, eyes turning black as he stood. Analia made a rude noise. _

"_I don't see why you bother with that little-" _**SMACK! **_The demoness fell, holding her cheek. Blackheart watched coldly as she gave him a confused look._

"_You really need to leave Hope alone. She's done nothing to you." He stepped closer, allowing his true form to peek through. "And if you make another quip about her feelings for me like that, I will not hesitate to do much worse than slap you. You're on thin ice as is."_

Blackheart closed his eyes as the memory faded. No one understood the protective feelings he had for Hope. Even he didn't understand them. But they were there, strong and sure. And it was going off strongly right now.

He turned to the doors again. Hope's reaction was very unsettling. That wasn't just a rejection to his advance. That was defense. She thought he was attacking her. A frown crossed his face at the thought. He had done many heartless things in his existence but he had never taken advantage of a woman. At least, not in that particular way.

He would have to change his tactics. If he was right – and he doubted Mephisto would allow such a thing – Hope would only be pushed away by his typical seduction. He'd have to be more subtle with her. More… gentle, if that was possible. She certainly wasn't the same girl anymore. Especially not physically.

Blackheart groaned as his eyes turned blood red at the thought. Hope was just a strip of a girl years ago. Now… she was very much a woman. Her formally pale skin was now a beautiful golden tan. He didn't see why she wore the belt. It wasn't needed to emphasize an already perfect figure. Ironically though what he craved most was her warmth. Being without body heat, he had always found Hope's warmth soothing. Except…

_Blackheart paced the length of his room, probably in his foulest mood to date. That bitch of an –thankfully now- ex-fiancé of his jumped down his throat just for looking at another woman, but was bed-hopping behind his back? He had no qualms about kicking her ass out._

"_B-blackheart…" IF it wasn't for his acute hearing, he wouldn't have heard the call. He turned to find Hope standing in his doorway, looking miserable. The image instantly pulled him from his murderous thoughts._

"_Hope, what's wrong? You look like Hell." Blackheart was instantly by her side, fearing she collapse. Her cheeks were flushed and there were dark circles under her eyes. _

"_I feel horrible…" Before she could finish, she went into a coughing fit. It took a lot to the demon worry about anyone else but himself. But watching the small girl shake with the force of her coughs panicked him. He quickly scooped her up, taking her to his own bed. _

"_You need a doctor, Hope." She shook her head. "Yes, you do."_

"_But… It's j-just a cold…"_

"_No buts."_

_The demon prince paced as the healer tended to Hope. Luckily, the girl had passed out. This didn't comfort Blackheart though. Everything was wrong. Her color, her breathing, everything was off. _

"_Milord, I understand your concern but your pacing is very distracting." Blackheart stopped._

"_I'm sorry I just…" He made a frustrated sound. "She's burning up. She's not going to…" The healer shook his head._

"_No, your highness. She's human. It's actually helping fight the disease." He turned to the prince. "She won't suffer from the madness but if her fever doesn't break soon it could cause some damage." Hope coughed hard in her sleep, drawing both demons' attention._

"_What can we do for her…" Blackheart was trying very hard not to panic. He didn't like watching Hope lie so still._

"_Easy, milord. I have something for this. I simply need to gather the ingredients."_

"_How long will that take?" The healer frowned a bit._

"_A week. At most." This was not good news._

"_A week? She could be dead by then!" The healer didn't seem phased by the flickering lights, n outlet of the monarch's distress. He held up a placating hand._

"_Calm down, milord. She'll survive as long as you keep her fever in check and be certain she gets plenty of fluids." On that note, the healer packed his bag and left, giving the prince a reassuring pat on the shoulder._

_Blackheart stood for a few minutes, clueless. He stared at Hope trying to determine what he should do. Ice was a rare commodity in Hell. How was he going to cool her…? He unbuttoned his shirt, sitting beside her. He gently brushed a strand of loose hair from her face, contemplating what to do when she shivered, flinching away from his hand._

_That's when it hit him. He had no body heat. He could easily keep her cool. Very carefully, he lifted her, placing her on her lap. She flinched at the initial contact but didn't fight him. In fact, she pressed closer to him, trying to relieve the heat. _

_Blackheart winced. Despite knowing she had a fever, he didn't realize she was so hot to the touch. Instinct screamed at him to push the heat away from him but he only hugged her closer. _

"_Blackheart…" It took him a minute to realize she was actually speaking. Her voice was so raspy and thin, it scared him to let her speak._

"_Shh… I'm here, Hope…" He pulled her tighter to him. "I always will be…" Without conscious thought, he brushed a gentle kiss against her forehead._

Blackheart's eyes went wide at the forgotten memory. How could he forget something like that? Better question, why did he do that? He knew he cared for the girl but he never thought it past a platonic relationship. He looked at the doors again, thinking. _Although… _


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 5: Pirate Gossip

Hope stood on the upper deck of the _Pearl, _observing the organized chaos below her. It was a calm day at sea, the wind just strong enough to propel the ship along without being a nuisance. However, that didn't stop the hustle and bustle of the crew. They scurried about, some cleaning the decks and others trying to get the rigging in proper place.

Her gaze zeroed in on Blackheart, who was helping in trying to repair one of the masts broken in a previous battle. The demon had stripped down to his silk shirt from the heat, his jacket and vest tossed aside. He had rolled his sleeves up and unbuttoned his a bit, revealing more pale skin than she was used to seeing. Granted, she couldn't blame him, a pirate's life was a warm one.

"Hope, if you keep staring the crew will start thinking you're smitten with the young man." Hope shot her father an incredulous look.

"It's my duty to keep a weather eye on my crew, Father." The Pirate Lord nodded; however, the mischievous grin did not fade from his face. "My interest in him is strictly professional."

"Don't think that lad views you quite the same way, lil miss," Mr. Gibbs commented. "He seems to have a very special look for you." Hope gave him a somewhat annoyed look. Gibbs had been a loyal crewman to the _Pearl_ as well as a trusted friend to her family since before she was born. Much to her annoyance, he was usually right even in his superstitions.

"He's a friend. Nothing more." The two men shared an unconvinced glance. Hope rolled her eyes. She knew they wanted her to settle down and get married. However, she was positive they wouldn't quickly accept a demon prince. "I'm serious."

"Now you are. In a few months…" Jack had a speculative grin plastered onto his face. "You never know." Hope scoffed. Before she could retort, something caught her attention from the corner of her eye.

Blackheart was leaning heavily on the railing, looking as if he might pass out. Even from a distance, she could tell he was sweating bullets. Even his preternaturally pale skin seemed off-colored. She frowned. Blackheart hadn't been working long, she didn't understand how he- Her palm met her forehead in an age old "D'oh!"

Demons were more sensitive to heat. Overexposure to high temperatures was likely to drive them insane. And the Caribbean Seas were certainly not the coolest waters in the known world. _What the hell was Mephistopheles thinking? _Surely he knew about the heat.

Blackheart was trying very hard not to pass out. He was extremely certain now that Mephistopheles had lost his mind. The Caribbean Seas were not a safe place for demons. Despite the stereotype of Hell being a world of fire, demons could not withstand high heat. Prolonged exposure to such temperatures could easily drive them insane. Luckily, Blackheart was nowhere near that stage but he wasn't doing very well either.

"Daemon." He felt a cool hand on his arm. He turned to find Hope standing beside him with a canteen in hand and an unreadable expression on her face. However, he was able to still spot the concern in her eyes. "You need to sit." He decided determined focus on his job would benefit his seduction method.

"No, Captain. I'm fine." He turned to start again but Hope stopped him, pushing on his chest.

"Sit. That's an order." He let her push him onto a crate, although he was frowning. She ignored his frown, holding the canteen to him. "Here. Drink." She stood there with the canteen to him, looking much like an iron angel offering relief.

Blackheart gratefully took the canteen. He tried very hard not to seem too eager as he tipped his head back. The cool water rolling down his parched throat proved too much. He released a pleased and relieved sigh. He knew Hope was watching him but that didn't bother him too much. In fact, he made a point to lock eyes with her.

Hope felt her face flush as Blackheart's eyes locked on hers. She wasn't usually unnerved by such a direct stare but something about his eyes… He started to hand the canteen back to her, his steely blue eyes holding hers captive. "No, you keep it," she said, pushing it back to him. Did her voice crack a bit?

She turned to leave, praying the crew couldn't see the color sweeping up her face. The last thing she needed was for the crew to gossip. The cold hand that caught her wrist seemed to have other plans, however. "Hope."

She turned to reprimand him for using her first name instead of her title. Unfortunately, she made the mistake of meeting the demon's eyes, falling captive once again. Cold but gentle fingertips tipped her head towards him more. "Thank you." He started to lean towards her. Hope's body went stiff as a board when she felt those frozen lips brush against her cheek.

_What. Is. He. THINKING? _She couldn't decide if she should keelhaul him or take away his male pride for the hell she was going to get for this stunt. Worse of all, he continued to wear that infuriating smirk. Her face went bright red and she frowned. She glared up at him and sent a message straight into his mind with the force of a well aimed dagger. _Don't ever do that again. EVER. _The insolent monarch just chuckled.

Blackheart watched as Hope stormed off, thoroughly embarrassed. He went back to work, chuckling. Her mental demand meant little to him. He was determined to wear her down and into his arms. Then, hopefully, into his bed. He might try to avoid doing such things in the view of her crew though.

"You'd best watch yer step, lad." Blackheart turned to the elder pirate who had spoken. "The princess may be an angel among us but she be a fiery one."

"I have no fear of her," he coolly answered with a smirk. "I've known Hope for a very long time. I fully intend to court her now that she is old enough."

"You'd better be ready to face her father, the Cap'n, then."

"And 'er mystery suitors," a pirate whom Blackheart had heard called Ragetti chipped in. This instantly caught the demon prince's attention.

"Mystery suitors?" Another pirate, shorter and stockier than Ragetti gave him an annoyed look.

"Ragetti 'ere thinks he's seen strange men enter the princess's cabin at night. 'Owever, the rest of us think 'e's 'ad one too many pints on 'is watch."

"I'm telling you, she's been seeing other men! Generally, a different one each night!"

"Generally?" Blackheart was starting to be genuinely concerned.

"The princess wouldn't do anything so distasteful, so it don't matter!" Several pirates agreed but it was Gibbs' stern demand that got everyone back to work. Blackheart, however, couldn't stop thinking about this gossip.

_Hope wouldn't do such a thing, _he thought. He turned to Hope's cabin. _Unless…_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 6: Fantasy, Nightmare, and a Threat

Hope sat at her desk, staring through the wood. The map she had laid before her held no interest whatsoever to her. She stared blankly, her fingers delicately touching the glowing vial hanging from her neck. Hearing her cabin door open and shut forced her to quickly hide the vial.

"I'd like to be alone. I'm very busy," she warned, busying herself with the map. However, a pair of boot steps approached, identifying the intruder. "Blackheart, get out."

"Hope…." Hope couldn't stop the shiver of pleasure that ran up her spine. She knew that tone too well. It was pure sin. She wasn't going to fall for that though. She turned to him, thoroughly annoyed, in order to deliver a very stern lecture but found that to be a fatal mistake.

Blackheart stood before her, shirtless, with his eyes trained on her. However, his eyes were not their usual ice-blue color. The entirety of his eyes were a deep blood red. Hope gasped. Red was the color of lust for demons. And judging by the look in his, she was his target. She slowly stood, holding up a placating hand. "Blackheart…"

The next thing Hope knew, she was pinned between her desk and the demon prince. He almost instantly fastened his mouth to hers, preventing any form of verbal protest. Not that there was any room past the shock in her mind. Nor could she move. The demonic monarch was clever, using his body to pin her to the desk and his hands to pin her to his body.

_Push him off! Get rid of him! _Despite these wise warnings, Hope found herself melting against him, shivering from his cold skin. This demon was a damn good kisser. She managed to wiggle her arms free and around his neck, pulling closer. Close as they already were, she could feel the dark chuckle deep in his chest before it actually escaped his throat. She knew he was reading her desire like she was an open book. Frankly, she didn't care.

Somehow her belt ended up on the floor, allowing her shirt to hang loosely from her shoulders. Blackheart, of course, took full advantage of this, sliding his hands up under her shirt. They both groaned at the sensation, although for different reasons. "So warm…" Blackheart whispered against her neck, gently running his hands along her sides. Hope, however, was trying to push his hands off.

"Blackheart, please don't I…" He responded by lifting her onto her desk. "B-Blackheart!"

"Hope… Please…" He caught her chin, making her look at him. She still squirmed, self-conscious of the scars he was certain to find. "I need you…" He pulled her hard against him, pulling her legs to each side of him to ensure she felt how much he wanted her. Hope gasped. He had **never **been this bold with her before.

He began to nip at her neck, crashing her train of thought completely. One hand gently caught her braid, using it to tilt her head back and expose her neck to him. His free hand remained under her shirt, exploring the secrets there. He began a pattern of bite, lick, and repeat on her neck, making her squirm and grip his shoulders. She had never had a man make her body tingle with pleasure before. Her mind was completely overrun, save for one nagging thought. "Blackheart…"

"Hmmm…" He didn't turn away from her neck, although he did change to kissing his way up and down. She stared up at the ceiling, blinking back tears.

"Where were you when I needed you…" She asked in a shaky voice.

"Does it matter?" He answered, nuzzling her neck. His cold hands rested on her stomach as he looked at her. "You'll always have a piece of me with you now." She started to ask what he meant when he began to fade into smoke. To make things stranger, the smoke trailed into her stomach, disappearing.

Hope was left alone in her cabin, confused. Her hands went to the vial around her neck. Surely he didn't know she had his soul did he? It wasn't possible. "I don't understand…" She didn't have long to consider this as a very demonic growl was heard.

"You've really screwed up now, wench." Hope cried out in shock as several thorn covered vines appeared out of nowhere, wrapping tightly around her wrists and shoulders. It was a struggle not to scream as thorns dug into her skin. This didn't stop her from struggling in the vines grasps. "Now you'll pay for you betrayal!" More vines appeared, wrapping around the rest of her body except her stomach.

"No, No…"

"NO!" Hope jolted awake, panting for air. She looked around, dazed. Everything was in its proper place… She looked down at her own body. Her belt remained in place. Not a scratch on her. "Whew… Just a dream..."

She relaxed against her chair when an arm whipped around her shoulders, pinning her. "Hello, Beautiful." She stiffened. She knew that voice all too well.

"Thorn…" The demon chuckled darkly. "What are you doing here? Your father said-"

"Not to touch you. I know." He roughly tugged her to her feet. "Such a shame." He tilted her chin towards him, forcing her to look at him. He was a handsome demon, with vibrant green eyes and fiery hair. However, looks were deceiving. Especially in the world of demons. "Wasting such a beautiful rose on such a mediocre task such as my pathetic brother." She just glared at him.

"What do you want, Thorn?" He growled, throwing her onto the bed.

"To remind you of your place." Hope scrambled into a sitting position, not wanting him to have an advantage over her. He started towards the bed. "Don't make the mistake of falling for Blackheart." She scoffed.

"That's not likely to happen."

"It better not!" She cried out as vines wrapped around her left wrist and ring finger, digging it's thorns into her skin. "My father may own your soul, but I own YOU." She glared at him.

"You do not own me." He laughed coldly at her.

"I don't own you?" He tugged on vines around her wrist and finger, pulling it tighter. "I don't own you?" He pulled oh her sleeve, ripping it off. She tried in vain to cover the many scars he revealed. He pointed to them. "Those marks prove it! No man my father's sent to bed you has anywhere near that many marks on you! Why? Because they see those and know you're mine." He leaned over her, bracing a hand on each side, trapping her. "And I promise you this, Princess." Hope stiffened as Thorn ran his hand up her arm, gentle yet threatening. "If I ever find even a hint of my broth…"

Hope tried hard to hide her confusion as Thorn's hand stopped on her stomach. Confusion played through his eyes as tense silence rose between them. Then, his face slowly turned to rage. "You little…" She began to tremble at the demonic undertones in his voice. The last thing she expected were the words he growled next. "You're pregnant."

She didn't have time to even register the shock of his claim as a fist collided with her temple, knocking her out.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: wow first time adding note lol. I don't think I added a disclaimer on my first chapter so here it is. Blackheart, Jack and friends I no own. Hope, Ellena, and Thorn however I do own. Feel free to read and review. ::3**

Chapter 7: Revelation

Blackheart sat beside an unconscious Hope, rewrapping her injured wrist and hand. It had been almost a week since they discovered her passed out and bleeding on her bed. If it wasn't for the occasional incoherent mumble, he would've been certain Hope had bled to death. As it was, she was far too still…

Blackheart shook his head. Why did he care? She was just another to seduce. Nothing more, nothing less. So what if she had been attacked by another demon? Even if that demon had his brother's scent? _Wait a second… _

"Daemon?" Jack's concerned voice interrupted the demon's train of thought. "We've docked."

"Good." He finished wrapping Hope's hand, trying very hard not to imagine a thorny wedding band on her finger. The pirate lord stepped up behind the monarch, eyes focused on his daughter.

"Anything at all?" Blackheart shook his head.

"Nothing…" He didn't like the note of concern in his own voice.

"And you're sure this… healer can help her?" Blackheart stood carefully scooping Hope into his arms.

"Absolutely. We'll be back in the morning." He started to leave but Jack stopped him. Anxiety was plain on the usually drunk captain's face.

"Be careful with her… This ship really needs her." Blackheart nodded a bit.

"Don't worry. I won't let any further harm come to her."

* * *

><p>Blackheart swore eloquently in several languages as he ducked from stall to stall. Not five minutes into the journey, it began pouring the rain. Definitely not what he needed with Hope's temperature spiking again. Luckily, his leather jacket provided protection for her. However, the demon prince was soaked.<p>

So he was more than relieved to finally find the healer's hut. It had been well hidden and he even sensed protection spells. Not that they mattered to him, they were so weak. He waltzed right in, holding Hope closer to him. "Hello?" No answer. "Damn healers. Hello!" He carefully laid Hope on a nearby sofa, unwrapping her from his duster.

"B… Blackheart…" That stopped the young monarch short. It was the first coherent thing she had said in a week. Did it really have to be his name?

"You shouldn't be here, demon." Blackheart scowled at the blade now pressed against his neck. "You're not welcome." He growled softly.

"I wouldn't have come if I didn't need your help, Ellena." He carefully turned, facing his attacker. The redheaded woman didn't move, keeping the sword to his neck. He nodded towards the unconscious pirate royal. "She needs a healer." Ellena didn't move save for a slight shifting of her eyes towards Hope.

"What is she to you?" Blackheart shot her a black glare.

"She's… a friend. Just help her." He certainly wasn't about to admit she was his father's hired babysitter. He stood to give her access, although he made certain not to stray from Hope's side. It was a few more tense moments, however, before the healer moved, sitting beside her unconscious patient.

"What happened?" The demon prince began to pace.

"We don't know. I found her unconscious." He gestured towards her hand. " I think it has to do with the wounds on her hand."

"Venom," Ellena explained, gently studying Hope's injuries. "And a lot of it. It's amazing she's not dead."

"Venom?"

"Yes. It seems… she's no stranger to this though…" This caught the demon prince's attention.

"There's more?"

"There's some lingering in her system. It's very old though." Blackheart began to pace again. "I just hope it hasn't affected the baby." Blackheart stopped short.

"Baby? What baby?" Ellena met his gaze.

"She's with child." He caught himself on a chair. There were very few things that shocked Blackheart and this was one of them. "Maybe a month or so along."

"She's pregnant…?" Ellena nodded. "That's impossible…" As far as he knew, Hope didn't have a husband or even a lover. How in the world could she be pregnant? It didn't make sense. "The baby… Is it hurt…" He vaguely remembered Hope mentioning she wanted a family one day. The healer was silent for a few moments.

"No, it's unharmed. And half demon." Blackheart's eyes grew wide. Ellena seemed confused. "You didn't know?"

"Why would I?" The healer didn't answer. "Can you heal her?"

"It'll take some time. But yes."

"Then do it." With that, the demon turned on his heel and exited the healer's hut.


End file.
